Horry County Council gives OK to hire new Coast RTA CEO

The Horry County Council unanimously approved the contract for soon-to-be Coast RTA CEO Brian Piascik at its meeting Tuesday — a move that Coast board president Bernie Silverman called a vote of confidence as the transit works to improve relations with its largest local funding agency.

“Mr. Silverman, let’s get to work,” were the only worlds spoken by Council Chairman Mark Lazarus shortly after the vote. Lazarus has been among a handful of councilmen who have been vocal about their criticism of Coast.

But Tuesday’s vote was a sign for Silverman that a new tide is turning at Coast.

“I’m very excited about it,” Silverman said after the meeting. “They endorsed us. They saw the contract. They approved of it. It’s a new beginning.”

Some councilmen had a chance to meet Piascik late last week and ask him questions about how he’d work to get Coast’s image turned around. The agency is on an “at risk” list at the state level, and has been required to provide financial updates to the county to receive its quarterly payments from the county, which total $1.05 million annually. Coast’s board still must approve hiring Piascik. Coast’s board is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss his hiring.

Piascik, a long-time transit group manager for URS Corp., and having advised small communities and states throughout the nation on transportation issues, was announced as Coast’s selection for its next CEO on April 7 before getting the hire approved by Horry County Council. The approval is required through a funding agreement the transit and county entered in 2014, which is part of the county’s effort for accountability on the $1.05 million it gives Coast annually.

Piascik is slated to make $140,000 as Coast’s next CEO, according to the offer letter obtained by The Sun News through a Freedom of Information Act request. The offer letter also outlines Coast’s intent to pay for Piascik to move from Texas to Conway, pay for short-term storage of his belongings until he and his wife can find housing. Coast is also paying for Piascik and his wife’s flight to and from the area with three nights of hotel accommodations as they look for housing.

Coast is also paying up to $2,000 per month for two months of temporary housing for the Piasciks. The offer letter was signed by Piascik on April 7.

The contract offers an automatic renewal after three years unless either party gives a 90-day notice of intent not to renew it. The contract also includes a four-month severance with an additional week’s pay per year served. After a period of either six months or one year, Coast and Piascik will sit down and discuss incentives for various accomplishments, including getting Coast off the “at-risk” list of the S.C. Department of Transportation.

Piascik replaces former CEO Myers Rollins who was fired in April 2014 after the state asked the agency to refund more than $300,000 for failed bus shelter program. Julie Norton-Dew, the agency’s chief financial officer, served as interim general manager since Rollins left.

Silverman said he’s glad to see the hiring process come to an end and looks forward to Piascik hitting the ground running.

“I think he’s impressed them as much as he’s impressed us,” Silverman said. “He’s anxious to get started. I’m anxious to have him here. The whole board is... We’re excited.”

This story was originally published May 5, 2015 at 8:12 PM with the headline "Horry County Council gives OK to hire new Coast RTA CEO."